E-Fuel says all people have to do is add food waste, a special yeast mix and water and voila: it is converted into ethanol that can be used to fill up their car.

Company officials call it the first portable micro-refinery system - but it is essentially a still.

"It's a still absolutely we've eliminated the combustion heat that's normally used to run the still and we have what we call a composite plastic design that separates the water and the sugar and all that other yeast and stuff like that at low temperatures," E-Fuel CEO Tom Quinn said.

The machines cost about $10,000, but there is currently a $5,000 federal rebate available to help offset the price.

The company estimates it will cost about $2.25 per gallon to make the fuel.